Welcome to a segment that I had quite a bit of fun putting together: films I like and enjoy watching but everyone else seems to dislike. These are films that I watch for fun and think are pretty good but have “rotten” scores on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Let’s begin!
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 28%
My Score: 64% (Theatrical) – 78% (Extended)
I’m starting off with some more recent ones, and generally, this was a no-brainer. In my review, I gave it a C+, and while that’s considered a negative score, I think that that anything below it is negative. The film definitely had a lot of problems, but it didn’t deserve a lot of the hate it got. I can understand some of the points brought up (Zack Snyder, you need to lighten up, man) but the final product isn’t a complete misfire. The extended “Ultimate Edition” is even better, making up for a lot of the issues in the theatrical cut.
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
My Score: 83%
Another recent superhero movie, I really cannot understand why this movie got slammed by critics. I thought it was great! It had a few issues, and, yes, it is the worst of the “Beginnings” Trilogy, but that’s only because the films before it were almost too good to beat. The action in Apocalypse? Spot-on. The writing? A bit cheesy, but acceptable. The story? Really good, and a great way to tie up the trilogy nicely…while also paving way for a new generation of X-Men films. People really don’t give Bryan Singer enough credit here.
Passengers (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 31%
My Score: 60%
Unlike the past few films, this is one where I really think critics went a bit too overboard. I don’t think it’s an amazing film, but I had fun with it, and it’s certainly a visual spectacle. It also has a tremendous score. The acting from Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt isn’t perfect, but it’s solid, and worked just enough. I didn’t like some of the story elements, and the writing was so-so, but the final film is pretty alright, and worth seeing at least one time.
Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
My Score: 85%
This is the most recent one on my list, and like Passengers, critics went a bit overboard here. This is one of my favorite movies of the year (so far) and it was a really enjoyable experience. If you couldn’t tell, it’s Hollywoodized, and not as much of a psychological thriller as the original 1995 film directed by Mamoru Oshii. However, its action sequences are thrilling, the visual effects are frickin’ amazing, and the music is a phenomenal accompaniment to the cyberpunk film. Scarlett Johansson is also really good as the Major.
Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55% (1) and 24% (2)
My Score: 89% (1) and 86% (2)
This is an instance where the critics really took things too far. It’s bad enough that the first is a Christmas classic and has pretty mixed reviews, but the second, which is also a pretty fun film has been called “rehash”, “tepid”, and “pathetic” by critics. Harsh. I love both of these movies dearly, and while their stories are thin, they’re just fun…movies are rarely judged for what they are anymore, but anybody who hasn’t seen these should. You’ll get plenty of good laughs and have fun with your family.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 54% (DMC) and 45% (AWE)
My Score: 81% (DMC) and 69% (AWE)
To be fair, the sequels to the first Pirates movie really can’t live up to the bar set by their predecessor. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a great time viewing these. At World’s End has a lot of plot elements that don’t really add anything, along with some bland characters, and both lack an originality that the first film had. But there’s no denying that these have some amazingly thrilling action sequences, great comedic moments, phenomenal special effects, and a terrific villain–Davy Jones. Dead Man’s Chest was also the first film to introduce the current Disney intro, so it also gets props for that.
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
My Score: 75%
Oz the Great and Powerful‘s RT score is pretty close to fresh, but a lot of people hated this movie upon release, and I’ve never been able to see why. It’s funny, well-written, and the visual effects are mesmerizing. The cast (and voice cast) is spectacular, and while the story has some issues, and the pacing is a bit off, it’s an overall fun film to watch, and it’s most definitely enjoyable.
Man of Steel (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
My Score: 70%
Man of Steel kicked off what we know today as the DC Extended Universe. To critics, it was the first in a long line of failures, being followed by Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad. I enjoyed BvS, and Suicide Squad was okay, but the first film featuring Henry Cavill as Superman is actually pretty good! The visual effects deserved to be nominated for an Oscar, and while the script isn’t great, the convincing performances and charismatic villain are impressive to watch.
